So with that said..
LAST YEAR RECAP
When talking about 2008 and the QB’s, there is only one person that can be discussed, and has ad nauseum, John Parker Wilson. Wilson had a solid first year with Shula, and was on a good pace early in 2007, but somewhere between the start and end, his confidence was shaken and he really struggled down the stretch with bad games against FSU, LSU, MSU, ULM and AU. In 2008, under another OC, he was peeled back and not asked to really have to do much because the staff, like the fans, had figured out that he's not really able to pick up a team and push them over the goal line like a Barker or Stabler or Namath would. Greg McElroy played sparringly, but set off the debates after his nice rope to Maze in the Auburn game.
THIS OFFSEASON
Who is back?
Greg McElroy. He comes from a pass happy system where he accumulated 4000+ yards and 50+ TD’s last year in high school. He also has some mobility, he rushed for 700 yards and 12 touchdowns. Probably 11 were goal line sneaks. He was the MVP of the DII championship game after throwing for 328 yds and 4 TD’s. To the naked eye, when you watch him, you say more of the same from Wilson on to McElroy, but that isn't true. When I watch McElroy's A Day game, and really focus in on his footwork, his checking down progressions, and his pocket sense to move and step up, he's light years different from Wilson. Greg has not been battle tested, but that isn't his fault, he really should have been put into some of the blow outs sooner. He isn't a cannon arm QB, but he is very smart and he knows how to be a quarterback and has been coached well to play the position. That will be an upgrade in itself. The things to watch for with McElroy during the season will be about his mentality, can he hang in there after getting peppered around, can he shake of the interceptions that will be there, and can he gel with more than Julio Jones? If he can grow and progress over the learning curve, Bama's problems are small. Real small.
Star Jackson. If the hype meets reality, this guy is the next great star. Some want him to start now, some want him to get half the snaps, some want him to play some, and others think a transfer looms. Personally, I think the hype that the fans have on him was unrealistic and that he really is a very raw, undercoached athlete. That is what separates McElroy from Star is that one knows what being a QB means and all the mechanical details of it and the other knows how to throw far. The A-Day game isn't exactly a fair comparison, but he really never stepped up when he played with the 1s either. The future for Star is cloudy now because AJ McCarron, the new next big thing, and whomever Bama signs this winter will be in line too and the depth chart can only be so deep at QB. If Bama signs 2 quarterbacks this winter, it is a good sign that they aren't sold on Star's ability to run the show.
Thomas Darrah. He is the invited walk on that has Internet fans building shrines. He looked nice in the 08 A Day game against 4th string defensive backs, but came back to earth this spring. Darrah has a huge arm, no doubt about it, but he couldn't find Waldo if he had a neon sign on him. However, Thomas Darrah does kick ass like Chuck Norris, he’s already proven that since coming to campus. I’d bet he doesn’t get mentioned again after this time next year.
Who is gone?
John Parker Wilson. Wilson had a very good first year. All things considered with the poor OL play, no running game, Keith Brown’s hide and go seek play, no Prothro, Hall having a bad shoulder, etc. He did very well in all but the LSU game. His second attempt at being the starter, well, let’s just say the mentioning of his name in sports bars throughout the state of Alabama could incite fights and criminal violence. Wilson did well when everything was going well and the pocket is holding and the running game is going, and the WR are catching and not dropping. He holds a lot of records because he played a lot more games, but the only record that Bama fans count are SEC and National Titles.
Nick Fanuzzi. Fanuzzi is a legacy QB. His dad was a QB at Kentucky and he now follows that line. This time last year, I said he could be lost in translation. There is only room for one Nick in T- town....
Who is new?
AJ McCarron- AJ is a 4 star QB that comes from a HS that is rich in college profile players. As far as his play goes, he has a lot of upside. The downside to that is that he will need some time to level out and get ready for the pounding that the SEC brings. Physically, he looks a lot like Croyle did coming out of HS. He has a good arm, not a cannon, and is accurate when his mechanics are on. He has a tendency to not set and throw and forgets his fundamentals at times. When he's got his stuff together, he's a very capable pocket QB. He likes to sit in the pocket and check down, not real wild about getting out in space and creating or doing a waggle. With weight and belief in himself/teammates, that could change. His throwing motion is good, and he whips the ball around the way you are taught, and the ball comes out fast so he avoids sacks. The ball rarely drops below the pad and it comes out at the point of release not too early or late. His footwork is sloppy at times and that is coachable, definitely not a major problem, or shouldn't be. He may finish the fall at 2nd string and see some mop up duty, but I will be willing to put money on him being 3rd and redshirting.
THE QUARTERBACKS
The Good…
A proven OC
After watching Major get flustered and go fetal down the stretch, it was comforting to see Coach Mac roll his sleeves up and toe the line against the best in the nation. This year he gets more pieces to work with and a QB that is very coachable and fits his system well. McElwain has a good philosophy that fits well with Saban's ideals on offense, and that means a lot. I think that as they get more recruiting classes under them, you will see the offense change in style a bit, but Mac seems to be flexible in the formations, it is the playcalling that doesn't change.
A shorter offense can help things out
Bama has 2 problems on offense going into the year. One, the OL isn’t good enough for long drawn out plays and is pretty green. Two, the quarterback needs time to get the green off him too. So, you pull the offense in, more screens, dumps, slants, outs, and other 15 and under plays and you get more proficient offense and get the safeties up so that the deep ball can work a little better. The QBs will have to find a guy that they like over the middle for it to work, paging any willing WR…
The quality of depth is improving each fall
I think as long as I live, I will remember the Croyle/Pennington/Guillon/Avalos fiasco season where the defense won all 6 games for them and the offense resembled a 9-10 year old rec team. Saban realized early on he didn't have much to work with, and really he is still pretty thin if he is using walkons above 3rd string at times. This fall, however, he has McElroy who has the potential to be very good, Star Jackson who in time can be good, and McCarron who has the potential to be a long term answer for the team. It seems like 100 years ago that things were that bad, and who knows we may all be snowed over on the talent of these guys, but I doubt that.
The Bad...
There ain't a lot of time on the time cards
McElroy has some logged in time, but he's never played more than a few series in the waining moments of a game. The rest haven't been beyond a clipboard. One hasn't even seen his jersey yet. It isn't a reason to jump off a ship or fear the worst because the defense will relieve them of some of the pressure. It is a reason to hold your breath a bit before you yell national champions and a lot of marks that we can't put much proof to.
Log jam at backup
It isn't bad in the long term sense of things, but 3 guys for 1 backup spot is going to leave 2 guys sore. Bama's had a rash of transfers over the last couple of years and QB has been a popular spot to look at. I'm not saying one will leave, but the odds indicate that if a guy falls to 3rd, they probably won't play.
The Ugly…
The worst case scenario
Oh the endless pessimism that can be created by Alabama's quarterbacks. In the worst case scenario, McElroy is out and 2 freshmen are asked to take on the role in the heat of the SEC schedule. Even Manning had a hard time with his growth spurt his freshman year. That SEC wasn't nearly as brutal as this SEC is. A freshman QB with no time to learn and grow will look a lot like Jarrett Lee did last year for LSU to be honest.
What the experts think….
TSN- Sporting News likes Greg, they call him patient as he sat behind Chase Daniels and Wilson. They mention that the race for starter never happened as he pretty well took the job from day 1 and didn't do anything to let it go.
Lindy’s- They compare McElroy to Mauck, and have Darrah as backup going into summer. They compare him to Wilson as smaller arm and less physical, but better manager and better touch, which I agree with in some respects. They rank the QBs 6th behind UF, OM, LSU, ARK, and UGA.
Athlon- Athlons says that McElroy "blew away the field" and that Saban says "everyone knows our players have the most respect for". McElroy says he knows that he hasn't proven himself yet, but plans to. They mention the race for number 2 is a log jam.
DEPTH CHART
Starter- McElroy. Unless someone just dazzles the staff, he's going to start every game this year.
2nd String- Jackson. Last year I said the gap between McElroy and Wilson wasn't much, but this year the gap between 1 and 2 is noticable.
3rd String- AJ McCarron. He may redshirt if he finishes 3rd, but the gap between 2 and 3 isn't much right now.
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